Pow Pow Satisfaction!

March 6, 2011

OK. Here are two more recent finds, fresh purchases from this morning’s brief visit to the Buford Highway Goodwill.

First, here is a pretty hot Cha Cha Cha LP on the Fiesta label:

Fiesta is a now-defunct NY, NY label that recorded a lot of cool Latin bands. This particular LP features Monchito -not to be confused with the more-recognized Machito- and his very tight orchestra of Cha Cha Cha musicians and singers known as the Mambo Royals. And wouldn’t you know it, track one of side one, a Ramon Monchito original entitled Pao Pao (Pow Pow), shows up on The YouTubes as a minor hit; check it out:

Can anyone out there, perhaps Fleischmanns in Spain, help me out with the lyrics (other than the “Pow Pow”)?

Some people collect nothing but Latin vinyl, as well they should. New York City, in particular, had some kick-ass record labels that produced some very authentic Latin dance music with its roots in the rich, cultural cross pollination between New York City and Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other Latin countries. Fiesta was just one of many Latin labels, including Seeco, Tico, and Fania.

The next LP I picked up just because any easy-listening cover of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” has to be good (maybe). David Rose is famous for writing “The Stripper,” but most of his later fare is pabulum, except for, perhaps, his version of Satisfaction:

ADENDUM

I’m gonna send out the above cover tune in honor of Glen Leslie over at Jet Set Planet…he’s probably familiar with it.